Sanitary basin moulded part and method for producing a sanitary basin moulded part of this kind

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a sanitary basin molded part, for example a kitchen sink, a washbasin or a shower tray, having a main part ( 10 ) which has the shape of the sanitary basin molded part and ensures the mechanical stability thereof, characterized in that on the visible side of the sanitary basin molded part a covering layer ( 20 ) is arranged in at least one surface region on top of the main part ( 10 ), which covering layer comprises a fibrous tissue ( 24 ) saturated with a cured binding agent. The invention further relates to a method for producing a sanitary basin molded part of this kind.

The invention relates to a sanitary basin molded part, such as, forexample, a kitchen sink, a wash basin or a shower tray, and a method formanufacturing such a sanitary basin molded part.

A basin molded part having the features of the preamble of claim 1 isknown from DE 10 2004 055 365 A1. An associated manufacturing methodusing a molded part suitable, for example, for kitchen sinks is knownfrom EP 0 361 101 B1. Basin molded parts manufactured in this way have ahigh visual quality, as well as very good functional properties, inparticular, high resistance to abrasion and a visual appearance withhigh long-term stability.

Basin molded parts that are large-volume and/or that deviate from asurface profile, extending three-dimensionally, such as, for example, akitchen sink, may have a mass of, for example, greater than 10 kg, inparticular, if they are manufactured from a polymerized, cured binderembedded with fillers, as is described, for example, in EP 0 361 101 B1.As a result, precautions must be taken against breakage, in particular,during transport, but also during assembly of the basin molded parts,which requires corresponding effort and which makes handlingcomplicated.

In addition, though the surface of the manufactured sanitary basinmolded parts is of extraordinary high quality, the sanitary basin moldedparts are severely stressed over the course of years or decades of use,not only mechanically, for example, as a result of abrasion, scratchesand impacts, but also as a result of hot/cold stresses, for example, asa result of hot dishwater or as a result of cookware stored while stillhot. Care must be taken, in particular, in the case of sanitary basinmolded parts manufactured from a composite material, not to allow stresscracks to occur on the surface, which can be ensured only through theuse of high-grade resins and a complex process control.

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a sanitary basinmolded part and an associated manufacturing method with which thefunctional properties of the sanitary basin molded parts are furtherimproved, and which provide, in particular, an especially attractivesurface appearance.

The object is achieved by the sanitary basin molded part defined inclaim 1, and by the manufacturing method defined in the otherindependent claim. Additional embodiments of the invention are definedin the dependent claims.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a sanitary basin moldedpart, such as, for example, a kitchen sink, a wash basin or a showertray, having a main body in the shape of the sanitary basin molded partand providing the mechanical stability of the sanitary basin moldedpart, wherein on the visible side, which forms the functional surface ofthe sanitary basin molded part when in use, a covering layer comprisinga fiber fabric impregnated with a cured binding agent is disposed in atleast one surface area on top of the main body.

The main body may be manufactured, for example, from a compositematerial comprising a polymerized, cured binding agent and embedded withfillers, as is described in EP 0 361 101 B1 or in DE 10 2004 055 365 A1.The main body, by itself, may, in particular, be a basin molded part,which is a saleable product even without the covering layer according tothe invention. Alternatively, the main body may also have a somewhatlower thickness as compared to a saleable basin molded part and/or alower surface quality on the visible side which, in the sanitary basinmolded part according to the invention, is formed by the covering layerto be applied in addition.

The composite material of the main body may, for example, be formed froma cured resin, in particular, an acrylic resin, embedded with preferablyparticulate, non-organic fillers, for example, sand or quartz. Theproportion of filler is preferably between 55% and 85% by weight, inparticular, between 60% and 80% by weight, and preferably between 65%and 75% by weight, in each case relative to the total mass of the mainbody. The size of the filler particles may be selected, for example, asdescribed in EP 0 361 101 B1 or DE 10 2004 055 365 A1.

In one embodiment, the covering layer on the visible side of thesanitary basin molded part covers the entire surface of the main body.In addition, the covering layer may also be applied laterally to theedges of the sanitary basin molded part, so that once the sanitary basinmolded part is installed, the entire visible surface of the sanitarybasin molded part is formed by the covering layer.

In one embodiment, the covering layer has a thickness of less than 35%,in particular, less than 30% and preferably less than 25% of thethickness of the main body. For example, the main body may have athickness of 10 mm, whereas the covering layer has a thickness of merely1.5 mm. In spite of the relatively lower percentage thickness of thecovering layer, the fibers disposed therein, which are oriented in themanner of a fabric and preferably perpendicular to one another, ensuresstabilization of the top layer of the covering layer disposed above thefiber fabric and made, for example, of a resin, in particular againststress cracks due to stresses from heat/cold. The top layer may beformed, for example, from a preferably highly transparent, alternativelyalso tinted polyester resin, or, alternatively, from an epoxy resinpreferably with a water-repellant surface layer.

As a result of the fiber fabric disposed in the covering layer, the toplayer disposed in the direction of the surface of the sanitary basinmolded part on top of the fiber fabric is stabilized, thereby achievinga high stability of the surface of the sanitary basin molded part formedby the covering layer, in particular, against stress cracks due tostress from heat/cold. In one embodiment, compressive stresses arepresent at room temperatures in the covering layer, in particular, inthe top layer, which reliably prevent the occurrence of stress cracks.

While the rigidity of the sanitary basin molded part is already providedby the main body, the covering layer allows for additional stabilizationof the surface and also enhanced impact resistance when impacts occur,for example, as a result of falling kitchen utensils. In addition,situating a covering layer on the main body provides additionalpossibilities for designing the outward visual appearance of thesanitary basin molded part, wherein, by using a fiber fabric impregnatedwith a cured binding agent, the look produced also permanently meetsvery high aesthetic demands.

In one embodiment, the fiber fabric within the covering layer isdisplaced off-center and, for example, in the direction of the main bodyin relation to the thickness of the covering layer. In this way, thefiber fabric may be disposed at or near a surface of the covering layerfacing the main body. An additional, comparatively thin layer of curedbinding agent, with which the fiber fabric is impregnated, for example,having a thickness of less than 0.3 mm, in particular, less than 0.2 mmand preferably less than 0.1 mm, may be disposed between the fiberfabric and the surface of the main body. A further improvement in theresistance of the surface of the sanitary basin molded part relative tohot/cold stresses is achieved by such a sandwich structure. As analternative, the fiber fabric may also be displaced from the center ofthe covering layer in the direction of the surface of the sanitary basinmolded part.

In one embodiment, the thickness of the fiber fabric is less than 20%,in particular, less than 15% and preferably less than 10% of thethickness of the main body. The thickness of the fiber fabric may beless than 60%, in particular, less than 50% and preferably less than 40%of the thickness of the covering layer. In one embodiment, the thicknessof the fiber fabric is, for example, between 0.3 and 0.7 mm, whereas theentire thickness of the covering layer is more than 1 mm and less than 2mm. The thickness of the main body may be more than 7 mm and less than14 mm, in particular, more than 8 mm and less than 12 mm.

The comparatively low thickness of the fiber fabric is sufficient inorder to ensure the tensions occurring, in particular, laterally inrelation to the surface in the event of hot/cold stress.

In one embodiment, the covering layer on the visible side of thesanitary basin molded part includes a water-repellant layer, forexample, a thin covering layer made of a polyester resin. This ensuresthat water is permanently prevented from penetrating into the coveringlayer.

The glass transition temperature and, preferably also, the Martenstemperature of the covering layer may be comparatively low with respectto the underlying main body, for example, merely higher than 80° C.

In one embodiment, the fiber fabric of the covering layer includescarbon fibers, in particular, the fiber fabric is made of carbon fibers.In this case, fiber bundles, or so-called rovings may be woven togetherto form a fabric fiber, wherein the warp fiber rovings and the weftfiber rovings form an angle of essentially 90°. A twill fabric hasproven especially advantageous as a weave for sanitary molded parts. Thewarp thread rovings and the weft thread rovings run preferably parallelor in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of thesanitary basin molded part. Studies have shown that resistance to stresscracks is particularly high, in particular, in a fiber fabric of thistype.

In one embodiment, the mass per unit area of the fiber fabric is greaterthan 50 g/m2 and less than 400 g/m2, in particular, greater than 80 g/m2and less than 350 g/m2 and preferably greater than 100 g/m2 and lessthan 300 g/m2. The rovings preferably have a width of greater than 0.5mm and less than 5 mm, in particular, greater than 0.7 mm and less than3.5 mm and preferably greater than 1.0 mm and less than 2.0 mm. In oneembodiment, the fiber fabric is a spread tow fabric, with either a twillweave or a canvas weave. The width of the fiber strand in warp and/orweft in this case is greater than 5 mm and less than 15 mm, inparticular, greater than 6 mm and less than 12 mm.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a sanitarybasin molded part, such as, for example, a kitchen sink, a wash basin ora shower tray, having a main body in the shape of the sanitary basinmolded part and providing the mechanical stability of the sanitary basinmolded part, wherein a covering layer is disposed on the visible side ofthe sanitary basin molded part on top of the main body, and the coveringlayer comprises a fiber fabric impregnated with a cured binding agent.

The main body may be manufactured from a composite material comprising apolymerized, cured binding agent and embedded with fillers as describedabove. In one embodiment, the main body and the covering layer aremanufactured separately. The covering layer, in this case in the form ofa cover shell, may then be connected to the main body in a fixed andnon-detachable manner by attaching the covering layer to the surface ofthe main body corresponding to the visible side of the sanitary basinmolded part and connected to the main body. For example, the connectionmay be made using epoxy glue, in particular, a two-component epoxy glue.

The covering layer may be subject to compressive stress either alreadyduring manufacture of the covering layer or when attaching the coveringlayer to the main body. This can be achieved, for example, either byapplying a temperature higher than room temperature during manufactureof the covering layer or when connecting the covering layer to the mainbody, so that the covering layer becomes compressively stressed duringsubsequent cooling due to different thermal expansion coefficients ofthe covering layer on the one hand and the main body on the other hand.

This is, in particular, the case when using carbon fibers for thecovering layer, since carbon fibers exhibit, at least regionally, anegative thermal expansion coefficient, so that the carbon fiberslengthen during cooling, whereas the binding agent, with which thecarbon fibers are impregnated, may shrink during cooling. The sameapplies to the main body, which also shrinks during cooling, such that,in particular, when using carbon fibers for the fiber fabric,compressive stresses are introduced into the covering layer during themanufacturing process of the sanitary basin molded part, in particular,in the resin layer situated above the fiber fabric, which reliablyprevent stress cracks from occurring during subsequent use.

In one embodiment, the main body is manufactured by molding a moldedpart, in particular, by cast molding. In this way, it is possible tomanufacture main bodies having high material homogeneity and thus havinggood mechanical properties, in particular, those manufactured from acomposite material.

In one embodiment, the fiber fabric may be inlaid in the portion of themolded part forming the visible side of the sanitary basin molded part,wherein the covering layer may also be inlaid in the molded part as aso-called prepreg in the manner of a semi-finished product. As analternative, the fiber fabric impregnated with the binding agent mayexist as a prepreg and be connected to the previously finished main bodyin one molded part by heating the molded part until the prepreg curesand is optionally also already connected to the main body. In this case,a molded part may be used for the curing of the prepreg, which has thesame shape as the molded part with which the main body is manufactured.

Additional advantages, features and details of the invention arise fromthe dependent claims and the following description, in which anexemplary embodiment is described in detail with reference to thedrawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the descriptionmay be essential to the invention, each individually or in anycombination.

FIG. 1 shows a section through an exemplary embodiment of a sanitarybasin molded part according to the invention in the direction of itslongitudinal axis,

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged representation of a detail of the sanitarybasin molded part of FIG. 1 in the area of the drain board, and

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the surface of the sanitary basin moldedpart.

FIG. 1 shows a section through an exemplary embodiment of a sanitarybasin molded part 1 according to the invention in the direction of itslongitudinal axis. The exemplary embodiment is a built-in kitchen sinkcomprising a basin 2 and a drain board 4. FIG. 2 shows an enlargedrepresentation of a detail of the sanitary basin molded part 1 in thearea of the drain board 4.

The sanitary basin molded part 1 has a main body 10 fully shaped as, andproviding the mechanical stability of, the sanitary basin molded part 1,which in the exemplary embodiment is manufactured from a compositematerial. The composite material is formed from a cured acrylic resinembedded with particulate fillers made of SiO2. The proportion of theSiO2 filler is greater than 65% and less than 75% by weight relative tothe total mass of the main body, which is 8 kg in the exemplaryembodiment. The thickness 12 of the main body 10 in this case is 10 mm.

A covering layer 20 is disposed on top of the main body 10 on thesurface 30 forming the visible side of the sanitary basin molded part 1,which comprises a fiber fabric 24 impregnated with a cured binding agent22. The fiber fabric 24 in this embodiment is disposed at or near thesurface of the covering layer 20 facing the main body 10, wherein a thinlayer of the binding agent 22 runs between the fiber fabric 24 and themain body 10, so that the covering layer 20 has a surface closed by thebinding agent 22, even on its surface facing the main body 10. Thisensures that a stabilizing effect emanating from the fiber fabric 24 isfully introduced via the binding agent 22 into the covering layer 20.The fiber fabric 24 is formed from carbon fibers. The weave is twill.The mass per unit area in the exemplary embodiment is greater than 100g/m2 and less than 250 g/m2. The binding agent is an epoxy resin. TheMartens temperature is higher than 80° C.

Above the fiber fabric 24, the covering layer 20 includes a top layer 26in the direction of the surface 30 of the sanitary basin molded part 1,which may also be made of a cured polymerized resin, for example, of anepoxy resin or a polyester resin. At the surface, the covering layer 20includes a water-repellant layer 28, which forms the surface 30 of thecovering layer 20 and, therefore, the surface of the sanitary basinmolded part 1 as well. The water-repellant layer 28 may also be omittedwhen using suitable resins for the top layer 26, for example, polyesterresin. In one embodiment, the covering layer 20 includes a fiber fabric24 impregnated with epoxy resin and a top layer 26 made of polyesterresin.

The thickness of the covering layer 20 in the exemplary embodiment isapproximately 1.5 mm, wherein the proportion 32 of the top layer 26 tothe thickness of the covering layer 20 is approximately 1 mm, and theproportion 34 of the fiber fabric 24 impregnated with the binding agentto the thickness of the covering layer 20 is approximately 0.5 mm.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the surface 30 of the sanitary basin moldedpart 1. In one exemplary embodiment, the top layer 26, and preferablyalso the binding agent 22, with which the fiber fabric 24 isimpregnated, is transparent or at least translucent, so that theorientation of the fiber fabric 24 is visible on the surface 30. Whenusing carbon fibers for the fiber fabric 24, in particular, the resultis aesthetically high-quality light reflexes and a 3D-effect due to thenon-planar orientation of the warp thread rovings 36 and the weft threadrovings 38 within the fiber fabric 24, in particular, when using thetwill weave for the fiber fabric 24. This is enhanced still further bythe thickness 32 of the top layer 26 and its refractive index.

The arrangement of the fabric fiber 24, asymmetrical in relation to thethickness of the covering layer 20, also results in the occurrence ofcompressive stresses, in particular at the surface 30, which effectivelycounteract the formation of stress cracks.

1. A sanitary basin molded part (1), such as, for example, a kitchensink, a wash basin or a shower tray, comprising a main body (10) in theshape of the sanitary basin molded part (1) and providing the mechanicalstability of the sanitary basin molded part (1), characterized in thatat least one covering layer (20) comprising a fiber fabric (24)impregnated with a cured binding agent is disposed in at least onesurface area on top of the main body (10) on the visible side of thesanitary basin molded part (1).
 2. The sanitary basin molded part (1)according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (1) ismanufactured from a composite material comprising a polymerized curedbinding agent embedded with fillers.
 3. The sanitary basin molded part(1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering layer (2)is disposed over the entire surface of the main body (10) on the visibleside of the sanitary basin molded part (1).
 4. The sanitary basin moldedpart (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering layer(20) has a thickness, which is less than 35%, in particular, less than30% and preferably less than 25% of the thickness (12) of the main body(10).
 5. The sanitary basin molded part (1) according to claim 1,characterized in that the fiber fabric (24) is displaced within thecovering layer (20) off-center in relation to the thickness of thecovering layer (20).
 6. The sanitary basin molded part (1) according toclaim 1, characterized in that the thickness (34) of the fiber fabric(24) is less than 20%, in particular, less than 15% and preferably lessthan 10% of the thickness (12) of the main body (10).
 7. The sanitarybasin molded part (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that thecovering layer (20) on the visible side of the sanitary basin moldedpart (1) has a water-repellant layer (28).
 8. The sanitary basin moldedpart (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fiber fabric(24) of the covering layer (20) includes carbon fibers, in particular,that the fiber fabric (24) is made of carbon fibers.
 9. A method formanufacturing a sanitary basin molded part (1), such as, for example, akitchen sink, a wash basin or a shower tray, comprising a main body (10)in the shape of the sanitary basin molded part (1) and providing themechanical stability of the sanitary basin molded part (1), wherein atleast one covering layer (20) is disposed in at least one surface areaon top of the main body (10) on the visible side of the sanitary basinmolded part (1), and the covering layer comprises a fiber fabric (24)impregnated with a cured binding agent, and wherein the main body (10)and the covering layer (20) are manufactured separately and subsequentlyconnected to one another by attaching the covering layer (20) to thesurface of the main body (10) corresponding to the visible side of thesanitary basin molded part (1) and connecting it to the main body (10).10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the coveringlayer (20) is applied to the surface of the main body in the form of anot yet cured semi-finished product, in particular, in the form of aprepreg, and is connected to the former and, in the process, thecovering layer (20) is also cured.
 11. The method according to claim 9,characterized in that the main body (10) is manufactured by molding amolded part, in particular, by cast molding.